MatSE alumnus honored for humanitarian efforts

Dr. S. Ismat Shah is the recipient of the Madhuri and Jagdish Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement. A native of Pakistan, Shah holds a joint appointment as professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Delaware. He earned his PhD in materials science and engineering at Illinois in 1986.

Established in 2000, the Madhuri and Jagdish Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement is awarded each year to one of the University’s distinguished international alumni who has helped to better their own nation or the world through their contributions to government, humanity, science, art, or human welfare. Shah is being honored for his humanitarian efforts in helping to raise funds and resources for Pakistani and Afghan refugees displaced by natural disaster and war; his promotion of higher education in Pakistan by building schools, providing equipment, delivering lectures and workshops; and advancing the use of alternative energy sources in developing nations from Eastern Europe to South Asia. The award also honors his long-standing commitment to promoting dialogue and fostering cross-cultural understanding between the Muslim community and other religious and social groups in Delaware, particularly after 9/11.

Shah organized the first Engineering Study Abroad program at the University of Delaware in 2001, to further his students’ understanding of diverse cultural values. Under his leadership, students have visited Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, France and Turkey. In 2011, while a Fulbright Scholar, he worked with the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan to coordinate community speaking engagements with local high school and college students.

At the University of Delaware, Shah is a Senior Policy Fellow, Center for Energy and Environment Policy, and a Founding Fellow of the Center for Science Ethics and Public Policy. His group has been involved in research in materials physics based on thin films and nanostructures for energy and environment applications. He has six patents and more than 180 publications in these areas. He has also been involved in collaborative research with universities in Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, France, and Italy. Recent awards include Excellence in Teaching Award in the College of Engineering, University of Delaware (2008), Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Delaware (2011), and Mentorship Award, Society of Vacuum Coaters (2012).

He will give the annual Sheth International Alumni Lecture at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center on Thursday, April 11, at 9:00 a.m. His lecture, “Diseconomy of Neglect,” will focus on the importance of grassroots education in recreating the awareness of belonging among marginalized social groups. To register online, visit: 2013 International Award Reception and Lecture.
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Contact: Cindy Brya, coordinator of alumni relations and development, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 217/333-8312

If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, editor, Engineering Communications Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 217/244-7716.